Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Cobeer.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Cobeerxe2x80x99.
The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Argyranthemum cultivars with numerous inflorescences with attractive ray floret coloration.
The new Argyranthemum originated from a cross by the Inventor in 1995 of the Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Summer Stars Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,939, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as code number X95.1395.1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in 1996. The selection of the new Argyranthemum was based on its fully double inflorescences and purple-colored ray florets.
Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, since October, 1996, has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The new Argyranthemum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Cobeerxe2x80x99 and distinguish the new Argyranthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants.
3. Glossy dark green foliage.
4. Freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant.
5. Fully double inflorescence form.
6. Purple-colored ray florets that fade to pink with subsequent development.
Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Summer Stars Pink, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are more compact than plants of the cultivar Summer Stars Pink.
2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Argyranthemum are fully double in form whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Summer Stars Pink are semi-double in form.
3. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have purple-colored ray florets whereas plants of the cultivar Summer Stars Pink have pink-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the male parent, the selection X95.1395.1, in the following characteristics:
1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Argyranthemum are fully double in form whereas inflorescences of plants of the selection X95.1395.1 are anemone in form.
2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have purple-colored ray florets whereas plants of the selection X95.1395.1 have pink-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Summer Melody, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,763. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Summer Melody in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were more compact than plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.
2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.
3. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.
4. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum were darker in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.
Plants of the new Argyranthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were much more compact than plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink.
2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink.
3. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum were darker in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink.